1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to apparatuses for hanging frames upon surfaces, and methods for their use.
2. Background Art
Despite continued efforts to overcome the problem, there remains a need for an improved means for hanging wooden frames that assures the work will hang, securely, in a level position. The present invention fills this need by providing a simple, inexpensive, and easy to use apparatus and method that permits the user to quickly hang, and secure, a frame upon a wall or other vertical surface. Practicing the present invention, the user can consistently hang a wooden frame on the level, secured to the wall, in a pleasantly horizontal aspect.
British Patent No. 1,031,208 to Chan discloses a picture hanging apparatus comprising a supporting member to be attached to a wall and a separate second member, to be attached to the back of a picture frame, for engagement with the supporting member. The invention disclosed in the ""208 Patent requires that a particular customized element be attached to the frame to be hung.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,892 to Sellera discloses an apparatus similar to the above-mentioned British patent to Chan. The ""982 patent discloses an apparatus composed of two separate elements: one element to be attached to a wall, and the other specially adapted companion element necessarily attached to the frame to be hung.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,482 to Berinson discloses an apparatus for hanging framed pictures consisting of a lengthy resinous strip to be attached to the wall and picture mounts with sharp edges to be attached to picture frames. The sharp edges of the picture mounts are then inserted between the strip and wall to hang picture frames. The apparatus necessarily includes a specially adapted element to be attached to the frame to be hung.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,554 to James also describes an apparatus consisting of a matched pair of fixture members, one of which must be attached to the picture frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,526 to Rabinowitz discloses a picture frame hanging apparatus consisting of a single block having hanger projections extending laterally along at least two sides thereof for engagement with the frame to be hung.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,161 to Wallo describes an apparatus consisting of a base bar of substantial width having upwardly projecting prongs at opposite ends thereof which are adapted to engage a downwardly facing surface of the top moulding of the frame. The apparatus includes a horizontally elongate fastener hole and a vertically elongate fastener hole for consecutive adjustment of the horizontal and vertical position of the apparatus. The apparatus does not provide a mechanism for preventing accidental dislocation of the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,790 to Ballin discloses a three-part apparatus consisting of a pronged base plate to be mounted to a wall, a plumb member, and a coupling member to be mounted upon a frame. The plumb member swingably rests upon a fulcrum element of the base plate to indicate when the base plate is level. The base plate may be successfully used only in conjunction with the frame-mounted coupling member, which is shaped to interlock with the base plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,288 to Ruehl describes a device for securing cables or wires to a support surface, and discloses a means for pre-driving the securing pins in a manner to allow mounting to fragile surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,761 to Wassell discloses a picture frame corner bracket consisting primarily of a downwardly extending corner flange for engagement with a trough extending the length of an elongated wall-mounted strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,639 to Stein describes a self-adjusting picture hanger apparatus consisting of a wall-mounted member linked to a frame-mounted member. The members rotatably coact with one another so that gravity causes the frame to seek a vertical position. Notches and indicia are provided to assist in vertically mounting the wall-mounted member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,873 to Sutherland discloses a one-piece clip apparatus for use with frames having an inwardly facing channel along the upper periphery thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,315 to Sobel describes a corner bracket for use in assembling frames incorporating universal assembly channels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,317 to Letizia discloses a picture anchoring assembly utilizing a spirit level to assure the level mounting of a picture frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,708 to Hillstrom describes a picture hanging apparatus including a picture frame element having a hollow recess and a frame-mounted clip insertable into the frame recess mounting for mounting on a nail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,309 to Eisen, et al. discloses a method and apparatus for positioning frame-hanging devices upon a wall to assure proper placement of the picture.
U.S. Des. Pat. No. 282,054 to Hoffman discloses an ornamental design for a picture hanging aide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,524 to Messina discloses a generally planar wall member having self-alignment by a laterally centered hole with a fastener therethrough; gravity causes the wall mount member to pivot about the fastener in a pendular motion until the lower edge rests in a horizontal attitude. The ""524 Patent further discloses a planar object mount and an inverted V-shaped interior. The interior is configured to mate with the chamfered side edges of the wall mount member. As the object mount member is lowered onto the wall mount member, the chamfered side edges force the object mount member rearwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,125 to Bellehumeur discloses a picture-hanging device with a male member adapted to be rigidly secured to the back of the frame and a female member adapted to be rigidly secured to the wall. The male member includes an upper fastening flange and a resilient lower tongue. A portion of the tongue remains exposed above a slot in the female member when fully inserted such that the exposed portion is deflected outwardly to urge the lower edge of the frame toward the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,449 to Hart discloses an apparatus and method for hanging frames on mounting surfaces. The apparatus of the invention comprises a mostly planar body with a protruding supporting rail, a bracket recess, mounting holes and two distinct means for assuring the horizontal, level, secure, mounting of the body upon the mounting surface. The means for assuring a level mounting include the use of a removable spirit level or, alternatively, alignment notches to align the body relative to a horizontal line on the mounting surface.
The frustrations inherent in hanging wooden frames with the traditional xe2x80x9chook and wirexe2x80x9d methods continue to be a nearly universal experience. Even utilizing more than one hook, it is difficult to maintain a frame straight, level and secure using the traditional method. In earthquake environments, the results can be disastrous. Frames suspended by the standard hook and wire method tend to fall away from the wall at the top, resulting in unattractive gaps between the wall and the top of the frame. Moreover, it is practically impossible to align a series of frames (either vertically or horizontally) using the hook and wire system due to the variations in wire placement, and lengths and flexibility of differing wire types. This configuration also results in the framed picture""s load-vector being directed down the wall providing no wall support for the hanger device. Proper frame hangers, as in the present invention, are designed to direct load-vectors into the wall to provide optimum support for the valuable framed art installed on the wall.
The present invention comprises apparatuses for hanging a wooden frame on a surface as well as of methods for hanging wooden frames.
The hanger of the present invention comprises a body having a front, a back, and a top; and an attachment of the body to the target surface. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a recessed two-level, female, mandrel-slot for receiving into the hanger a circular, two-level, male mandrel. The attachment of the body to the target surface preferably comprises at least two openings completely penetrating the body from front to back capable of holding fasteners (e.g., screws or nails). In the preferred embodiment, two openings are countersunk to accommodate screws, and two alternate openings are recessed for headspace to accommodate nails. Preferably, the openings for the nails penetrate the body at oblique angles such that when supporting frames or other objects their load vectors are directed into the wall. The openings should have diameters corresponding to the diameters of the fasteners.
The male mandrel of the present invention, comprises a body having a front, a back, and a thickness, the thickness preferably equal to that of the first apparatus; attachment of the body to the frame; and an attachment of the body to the target surface. Preferably the thickness embodies two levels of approximately equal dimension. The attachment of the body to the frame comprises a single, countersunk, opening, centered in the male mandrel, completely penetrating the body, to accommodate a screw of appropriate size. Attachment of the body to the target surface is accomplished by slideably mating the male mandrel with the two-level female slot in the body of the hanger fastened to the target surface.
The bottom-rail-support of the present invention, comprises a body having a top, a bottom, and a thickened pedestal centered on the top of the body. Preferably the apparatus comprises two countersunk holes on either side of the thickened pedestal completely penetrating the body; and a hole centered in the thickened pedestal, with recessed headspace, completely penetrating the body, to accommodate a single nail. Preferably the total thickness of the body equals that of the hanger; an attachment of the body to the frame; and an attachment of the body to the target surface.
Another device of the present invention, necessary for practicing the invention, comprises a body having a top, a bottom, a retaining lip, an integral clip for retaining a spirit level vial, and a spirit level.
The first method of the invention comprises the steps of: (a) providing a hanger; (b) placing the hanger flush against a mounting surface; (c) inserting at least one fastener at least partially into the hanger; (d) positioning the hanger at a desired location upon the mounting surface; (e) inserting the first fastener completely through the hanger and into the mounting surface; and (f) inserting at least one additional fastener through the hanger and into the mounting surface to position it on and attach the hanger to the mounting surface. The hanger preferably embodies an elongated, female, two-level mating slot for a mating male mandrel of similar dimensions and thickness.
The second method of the invention comprises the steps of: (a) providing a mating male mandrel having dimensions and geometry matching the mating slot of the hanger; (b) inserting a screw of appropriate dimensions into the mandrel; (c) fastening the mandrel, centered, to the top reverse of the frame; and (d) orienting the flat chord of the mandrel such that it is parallel to the top of the frame.
The third method of the invention comprises the steps of: (a) providing one or more bottom-rail-supports; (b) producing pilot holes on the bottom reverse of the frame corresponding to the positions of the countersunk holes in the bottom-rail-support; (c) inserting a single nail, back to front, into the bottom-rail-support such that the nail head is recessed on the back of the body; (d) positioning the bottom-rail-support(s) on the bottom reverse of the frame; and (e) fastening the bottom-rail-support(s) to the bottom reverse of the frame with screws of appropriate dimensions.
The fourth method of the invention comprises the steps of: (a) providing a frame with mounted mating mandrel and bottom-rail-support(s); (b) slideably inserting the mating mandrel into the hanger""s mating slot; (c) carefully resting the nail(s) protruding from the bottom-rail-support(s) against the mounting surface; (d) placing the spirit level device on top of the frame; (e) holding the bottom-rail-support nail(s) away from the mounting surface; (f) rotating the frame until it is level; (g) allowing the bottom-rail-support nail(s) to again rest against the mounting surface; (h) checking the level a second time; (i) pushing the bottom-rail-support nail(s) into and through the mounting surface; and (j) removing the spirit level device.
An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive means and method for consistently hanging wooden frames straight and level, immobilized on the mounting surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for hanging wooden frames that is easy to use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for hanging wooden frames that is inexpensively manufactured.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means and method for hanging wooden frames that secures the frame flush against the wall or other surface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a means and method for hanging multiple wooden frames in horizontal alignment.